Low-energy electron losses by plasmon excitations as control means of the growth of epitaxial layers

Abstract

We report the effect of thermal degradation of InP surface on the low‐energy electron‐loss spectrum: the bulk‐plasmon peak of indium metal appears alongside that of InP. We propose the use of this technique to detect metallic microsclusters on; the surface of InP epitaxial layers. An example is given of an epilayer grown by chemical‐vapor deposition. The method is applicable to other III‐V compounds, and generally to compounds for which a constituent part is a metal capable of segregation.